North East Water Supply Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study

The City of Guelph expects significant population growth. To ensure water supply to meet those demands, the City is working on strategies from the 2022 Water Supply Master Plan. This includes studying ways to increase groundwater supply and ensure a reliable water source. One project involves developing a well in the Logan and Flemming Test Wells area. This is crucial because the City predicts a water shortage of 12,000 m³/day by 2051 due to climate change.

North East Water Supply environmental assessment area

Map of environmental assessment area

View map in PDF format

The process and timelines

This project will follow the Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (2024, as amended), which is an approved Class of Environmental Assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act. The project timeline is as follows:

  • Summer 2024 to Spring 2025: Baseline monitoring events for surface water and groundwater
  • February 25, 2025: Notice of commencement for the Environmental Assessment
  • May 12, 2025: Public Information Centre #1
  • April to June 2025: Evaluation of alternative solutions from the Environmental Assessment and preparation of the Preliminary Design
  • June 2025: Agency and municipality workshop
  • June 2025: Public Information Centre #2
  • September 2025: Notice of Completion

Have your say

Your feedback is an important part of the Class Environmental Assessment. We will engage online and in person with:

  • Indigenous peoples with ties to Guelph (e.g., First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and mixed ancestry People)
  • Residents
  • Other interested persons

We will reach out for related conversations and engagement when and where appropriate to ensure meaningful dialogue. We will use feedback to inform the opportunity and challenge statement, alternatives, evaluation criteria and recommended solution(s).

Technical work will begin before we formally engage with the public, so please check back regularly for upcoming opportunities by visiting haveyoursay.guelph.ca.

The process

The study is being planned as a Schedule “B” Project under the Municipal Engineers Association’s Municipal Class EA process. The Class EA process will provide members of the public and interested parties with opportunities to provide input at key stages of the study. The Class EA process will further define the problem (the need for additional water supply) and its causes, consider and evaluate alternative solutions to the problem, assess the potential impacts of the preferred solution, and identify measures to lessen potential adverse impacts.

Resources

For more information

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the project team below:

Albanie Douglas M.Sc., P.Geo., Hydrogeologist
Water Services, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise
City of Guelph
TTY 519-826-9771
519-837-5627
[email protected]

Stephen Di Biase, P.Geo., Hydrogeologist
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
(647) 282-0563
[email protected]